Skin cancer is epidemic and prevention must start in childhood to reduce lifetime ultraviolet radiation exposure and severe sunburns. Partners for Health Systems Inc. (PHS) will initiate the production of an interactive multimedia (CD-ROM) version of the new Sunny Days, Healthy Ways (SDHW) middle school sun safety curriculum and assess students' and teachers' reactions to it in two Colorado public elementary schools in the Weld Country School District (Greeley and Evans, CO). Multimedia are increasingly attractive to health educators, teachers, students, and parents. The target population for this Phase I project is students enrolled in grades 6 and 8. To build upon ongoing development of grade 4 CD-ROM programs (RFA study) and grade K and 2 prototypes, the design and production of the multimedia SDHW will include the preparation of concept plans and prototype CD-ROM activities for grades 6 and 8. Personal interviews with 24 students and 8 teachers will provide descriptive data. The authoring of the CD-ROM multimedia prototypes will be performed under contract by the AMC Cancer Research Center's Health Communications Core.
